Coal Mining Project Endangers Black Rhinos in Zimbabwe’s Hwange Park

A proposed coal mining project near Hwange Park threatens endangered black rhinos. ZimParks warns that it endangers vital habitats and wildlife. They urge the cancellation of the project to protect the species and advocate for ecological restoration efforts.

In Zimbabwe’s Hwange Park, a proposed coal mining project poses a significant threat to the endangered black rhino population. The national parks management authority, ZimParks, has voiced strong concerns, stating that the development endangers the Sinamatella Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone. ZimParks has urged the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to cancel the project and to reconsider future mining applications.

ZimParks emphasizes the critical importance of this habitat for black rhinos, which has seen population growth. The authority has a restoration goal of rehabilitating at least 30 percent of degraded land and ecosystems by 2030. They fear that the mining project will further risk extinction for this species, undermining its potential for recovery as outlined in international conventions on endangered species.

The Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng has applied to prospect for coal on over 16,000 hectares, located less than eight kilometers from the protected zone for the black rhinos. ZimParks has highlighted that mining activities in this vital area would significantly disrupt ecological conditions necessary for wildlife survival and reproduction. Currently, black rhinos are classified as “endangered,” with only around 6,400 remaining globally, a slight decline attributed to poaching.

Hwange National Park also houses Africa’s second-largest elephant concentration, with 65,000 elephants present. ZimParks warns that mining could affect groundwater flow essential for local wildlife’s survival. In 2020, the Zimbabwean government indicated a commitment to ban mining within nature reserves, following a related case involving another Chinese company, Tongmao Coal Company.

The proposed coal mining project in Hwange Park threatens the endangered black rhino population and risks wider ecological disruption. ZimParks advocates for the cancellation of this project and emphasizes the need for preservation efforts. The area’s ecological significance highlights the ongoing challenges of balancing development with wildlife conservation.

Original Source: punchng.com